As we bid a fond farewell to April, so too do we say goodbye to our spring class of Account and Creative interns. And how better to capture the value they got from their real world experience then to hear directly from a few of them.
Alexis Kressu, Account Services Intern
“Interning with Schifino Lee has taught me how to think outside the box using an original, strategic mindset. As an Account Service intern, I had the opportunity to work closely with the Account, Media, and Creative departments as well as several clients in the Tampa Bay area. I enjoyed assisting with photo shoots, creating competitive analyses for new accounts, and gaining experience as to how an ad agency truly operates. Being a Marketing major had restricted my ability to see the artistic side of things. At Schifino Lee, I developed an appreciation for graphic design and branding. As I pursue future endeavors, I hope to find an agency where I can apply my extended knowledge in the advertising field.”
Carlos Agatep, Account Services Intern
“Schifino Lee gave me my first real-world taste of what their website calls “the secret strategic sauce”. Over the last three to four months, I’ve had the chance to try the “sauce” with just about everything: aiding the Account team in developing competitive analyses for clients of various industries; performing market and media research for media buying purposes; and seeing first-hand what creative minds can develop to help keep businesses relevant in their respective industries. The team at Schifino Lee has a perfect blend of incredible work ethic and the ability to have fun. It reminded me why I wanted to get into Advertising in the first place – it doesn’t feel like just a job, it’s something I love. As I leave Schifino Lee, I hope to find a team of my own to improve upon the recipes for success I’ve had while tasting their secret sauce. I’ll be looking for my shot to use my strategic mindset with creative expression in the Tampa Bay area. I leave with a greater understanding of what advertising is truly like in application, the myriad opportunities I can have within an agency, and a desire to be part of the industry more than ever before.”
Tom VanderVelde, Creative Intern
“When someone asks me what I learned, I always have trouble answering. In fourth grade Science, I could just say something like “the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell,” and that would be good enough. But this is a little more abstract. I definitely learned things during my time at Schifino Lee, I’m sure of it. Just this morning, I learned that popping your knuckles isn’t bad for you, or so Dan claims. Beyond that, I got the quintessential “experience in an agency setting” that all advertising job postings ask for. Prior to interning, I attended portfolio school, which was supposed to emulate an agency setting. I have to say, nothing compares with the real thing. Schifino Lee is an excellent place to get the real thing: small enough that I know everyone by name, but big enough that there are some really cool projects to work on. As I move on to the next big thing in my career, I’ll fondly remember my time in the creative department, and I’m really grateful for the opportunity to work with some great people.”
The Schifino Lee team wishes all of our Spring 2015 interns the best of luck in their future adventures as we now turn to plans for giving our upcoming summer interns a true taste of the real ad biz.
